


The Not-So-Friendly Ghost

by Hekate1308



Series: The Crowley Chronicles [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 13, Fix-It, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 10:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12529264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: Things actually calm down for a while.Maybe that is the very thing that puts Dean on edge, but anyway, he is the first of them to notice something’s up. But why should the bunker be haunted?Post 12x23, Fix-it.





	The Not-So-Friendly Ghost

Things actually calm down for a while.

Maybe that is the very thing that puts Dean on edge, but anyway, he is the first of them to notice something’s up.

His things start... moving around. Only slightly, just a tick to the left and the right, but he was brought up to notice these things, so how can he not?

Still, he might just be paranoid, so he doesn’t bring it up to Sam or Cas, who just recently moved into the bunker once and for all. No reason to start the alarm just because he’s a little jumpy.

After all, why should the bunker be haunted of all places?

Only that it’s more than him being jumpy, because on the next hunt, he gets knocked around by a ghost who in turns gets thrown across the room.

What the hell?

At first he has no idea what is going on.

And then he remembers a samurai sword sliding into his hand.

There’s a ghost around. Has to be. It’s the only explanation. But why, and how?  

He pretty soon figures out that it’s only around him anything remotely spooky happens, and never when he’s with anyone. Aside from when he’s hunting and his new... bodyguard decides to act.

Dean can’t really say why he doesn’t mention it to Sam or Cas; maybe, he’ll late think, he felt from the first this wasn’t an evil power.

How ironic, all things considered. But that’s for later, when he’s gotten used to this new normal.

For now, he’s curious enough to try an Ouija board one night.

“Hey” he says, feeling as silly as when he did his own ghosting around in a hospital so long ago, “You there?”

Before he can say another word, the arrow slitters over to _Yes_. If he was talking to a human, he’d say it was an impatient gesture.

“Okay. Next question. Do I know you?”

The cursor flies of the board, makes a circle through the room, and lands on _Yes_ again.

“No need to be so dramatic, jeez. Just can you maybe give me a hint? Most people I know don’t have much of a life span...”

The arrow starts moving fast. He can barely keep track.

“Now, slow down – “ he stops talking because of the three letters he just read.

S-Q-U-I-R-

There are barely any words that start with this combo. There are barely any words that have this combo to begin with.

No. It can’t be. He wasn’t – he wouldn’t come back as a ghost –

“No way in Hell. If you really are who you say you are, tell me something only I would know.”

The cursor moves again.

T-H-E-T-R-I-P-L-E-T-S-W-E-R-E-B-L-O-N-D-E-S

Fair enough, but that’s easy to guess –

M-A-L-E-S

He swallows. “Crowley? Is it really you?”

The arrow draws circles around the word _yes_ , then proceeds to hop up and down the board.

“Hey, I get it.” Dean blinks. Truth is, he has no idea what to do. So Crowley’s a ghost now. Should he help him move on? But that would certainly mean him landing back in hell, and why should they just repeat that? Crowley was- is – a friend. Kind of.

Also there’s the fact that Dean is so freaking happy he feels like bursting into song. He missed the damn demon, alright? Maybe a bit more than he let on when Sam and Cas commented on his bad mood. Repeatedly.

“You feel particularly vengeful? More than you used to be, I mean?”

The arrow skitters over to _No_.

“So basically you’re just... hanging out?”

 _Yes_.

“Okay. Cool.”

He’s definitely not going back to sleep tonight. Remembering Bobby, he asks, “So if I... pour out a drink for you, you can actually sip it?”

 _Yes_.

And that’s how he ends up sharing a drink with Crowley once more, if a bit more quietly than he’s used to, if he ignores the Ouija board, because the demon – ghost – whatever is apparently ecstatic about being able to communicate.

_That last motel was god awful –_

_You needed way too long to figure out it was a tulpa three months ago in Miami –_

_That ghost was so pathetically weak –_

It all runs together after a while, but Dean doesn’t mind in the slightest.

“Dean?” Sam asks the next morning.

“Yeah?”

“Is everything alright?”

“Sure” he says, looking from him to Cas, who looks as confused as Dean himself feels at the question.

“You were just humming while making me a spinach omelette.”

“So? Can’t a guy just be in a good mood for once?”

Because he is. He really is. Somehow, their team feels more complete now that Crowley’s returned to them – even if only in spirit form.

The Ouija board gets tiresome after a while, so Dean takes a pencil and notebook and it turns out Crowley can write things down. Awesome. He just has to be careful that the others don’t see it, because Crowley’s handwriting is pretty distinct. Seriously, did he practice calligraphy when he was alive?

He still hasn’t told Sam and Cas. Crowley is obviously haunting him specifically anyway, and he’s not doing anything evil, so what’s the damage?

He also knows exactly what they would say and do, and he’s not the least ready to say goodbye, he admits to himself a week after they first communicated.

Turns out he missed the demon more than even he realized.

Thing is, Dean gets that being haunted is supposed to be awful and scary and whatnot, especially if the one who’s haunting you was kind of a friend back when he was alive.

But truth is, it’s not. Sure, it can be a tad annoying when Crowley is bored, but it’s Crowley. Things could be way worse.

One morning, he stumbles into the kitchen. Next thing he knows, a cup of coffee drifts over, exactly how he likes it. “Thanks, man.”

It’s surprisingly easy to get used to it. It helps that Crowley’s bored out of his mind, apparently, because Dean simply stops dropping things, even when he’s had a few drinks; truth is, they just keep getting caught just in time by his helpful spirit pal, as he calls him in his head but never to his not-face.

“Hey!” he complains one afternoon when Crowley switches the channel. “That’s Doctor Sexy!”

I am dead and I can feel my brain cells evaporating, the notepad declares.

He rolls his eyes.

“What do you want to watch, your Highness?”

Huh. The 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. He doesn’t even have that bad a taste.

It’s then and there that Dean admits to himself that he’s clinically insane, but can’t bring himself to care, especially because soon afterwards a bowl of popcorn comes drifting his way.

And then comes the night when Crowley decides to have an opinion. Dean’s about to reach for the bottle of jack to refill his glass when –

It skitters away.

“Hey!”

It skitters further. “What do you think you are doing – “

And with that, the bottle takes flight. “Oh no you don’t – “

Thing is, both Dean and Crowley were pretty sure Sam’s asleep and Cas in his room.

They aren’t. In fact, they’re just coming down the hallway and the bottle hits Sam straight in the face.

“What – “

And so Dean has no other choice but to confess.

Sam is incredulous at first. “A ghost demon? Dean, you’re not so gullible.”

“Do you really think I can’t tell? Crowley, write something down for Sam to make him see.”

Crowley complies. He usually does, unless Dean asks for really stupid stuff.

I am dead, Moose. Thought you’d be happy. You were the one who wanted to kill me dead, remember?

Sam stares at the paper. “That sounds like him.”

“Told you.”

“How long has this been going on?”

Dean shrugs. “A while.”

“A while?”

“He’s not doing any harm, is he?”

“Harm – Dean it’s Crowley as a ghost. God knows what he gets up to.”

That’s what you get for being a helping hand, the ghost writes.

Dean snorts.

“Dean – “

“Come on, Sam, we’re good. There’s no danger. Do you feel anything, Cas?”

“Now that I know a spirit’s here, I can feel it, but it’s definitely not vengeful.”

“There you have it, Sammy.”

He leaves them there, wishing that this could be all... Only it’s Sam, and if he knows one thing about his brother, it’s that he doesn’t know when to leave him alone.

And so a few days later, he tries again.

“Dean...” Sam trails off when he sees the chess board in front of him. “What are you doing?”

“Playing chess. Just try doing anything else with him; he’ll cheat every time.”

His king fell down. “Oh, don’t you start, you know you do.”

“Dean, can we talk?” his brother asks. “Alone?”

“Sure. Crowley, stay put, alright? And don’t even think about it. I know exactly where each piece is standing.”

He follows Sam into the library.

“So” his brother begins. “You were just playing chess. With a ghost who used to be a demon”.

“Yep. We were bored.”

“You were – Dean, don’t you realize this is a little bit crazy?”

“Compared to what? God’s sister?”

His brother sighs. “Alright I – look I’m a little nervous, that’s all.”

“Why? It’s Crowley.”

“Exactly!”

“If you’re worried he’s going to get crazy, don’t be. I think it has something to do with him not being human before he was a ghost, but – “

“Fine” Sam mutters and leaves.

Dean shrugs and returns to the game. “Alright, that bishop was not standing on E3 – ”

Crowley puts it back. “That’s better.”

He gets that most people would consider what he’s doing insane. On a case, they meet some other hunters, and while they’re discussing the options, he asks his notebook, “Any ideas?”

Rachel, the hunter, jumps when the pen gets taken up. “What’s that? Some Harry Potter horcrux thing?”

“Nah, just Caspar the helpful ghost” Dean simply replies, reading Crowley’s answer. “ A wraith? Could be. And you know you’re helpful, shut up.”

When Rachel looks at Sam, he shrugs.

It’s a wraith after all, and they deal with it soon enough.

That night, he gets woken by all of his books being thrown off their shelves.

“What the – Crowley, what are you – “

The Blade he used to fight through Purgatory flies across the room.

“Are you trying to kill someone, stop – “

His closet bursts open and his flannel shirts fall out.

“Crowley – “

The answer is just more chaos, and he would think his demon-slash-ghost-kind-of-friend has finally snapped, only...

Nothing has hit Dean yet. Sure, he’ll have to fix his room, but that’s just a small inconvenience.

Which means that this is not an angry ghost out to hurt him.

No, this is a ghost crying out in panic. But what can possible be the matter? If Dean or the others were in danger, Crowley would act rationally to prevent things from happening; so what –

Unless – if –

Dean sprints out of the bed. “Don’t worry, I got this.”

When he reaches the war room, he hears Cas. “Sam, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Cas, it’s getting out of hand. I caught him playing chess with the ghost in the war room.”

“It’s not just “a ghost””. Now Cas sounds decidedly bitter. “I know you want to help your brother, but sometimes you forget – “

“Cas, he was playing games with a demon turned ghost.”

“Chess is a highly interesting strategy game that involves – “

“For the last time: I am doing this. You can either stay or go.”

For one moment Dean is frozen, unable to breathe. For once things have calmed down, they have been hunting quietly, he actually feels pretty good about his life, and his brother wants to –

“Sam” Cas suddenly says, sounding serious, “I don’t think I – “

And that is all Dean needs to storm in and snatch the bowl out of Sam’s hands. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

“What we always do, help spirits move on!”

“Move on to where? Do you know he’d end up in Heaven, for sure? No you don’t! And can’t you imagine how many demons would be glad to see him back in Hell?” Dean snarls, holding up the bowl, which is violently knocked out of his hands by Crowley.

“Look what you’re doing! What you’re turning into!”

“What do you mean!?”

“The old Dean would never have tolerated a ghost hanging around! We even helped Bobby go to Heaven – “

“When he went berserk, Sam. Crowley will never become a vicious spirit, because he already was – as a demon.”

“We don’t know that for sure!”

“No we don’t, but do you think I wouldn’t be able to tell?”

“We know ghosts can possess people” Sam argues.

Dean looks at him. Finally he says, “Sometimes I think you don’t know me at all.”

He turned and leaves.

He half-expects Cas to follow him, and he does. “Dean, I want you to know – “

“I heard you. You weren’t completely on board. Got it.”

Then, unexpectedly, Cas looks up and say, “Crowley, I apologize to you as well.”

A pillow flies from Dean’s bed and hits Cas on the head. “Pretty sure that was him patting you.”

“I can easily believe that” the angel deadpans.

Dean grins.

The next few days are tense. Sam is silent, Dean is still a bit angry with him, and Cas is... well, Cas.

At least Dean thinks so until he hears the angel talking to himself one day.

“No, no, that would make it worse, I think. Dean’s so happy you’re back. He would probably think it was Sam’s fault.”

Dean listens but doesn’t hear a thing. “Yes, I know. But you and Dean were closer when you were alive.”

He’s talking to Crowley. Dean really shouldn’t eavesdrop but can’t help it.

“Crowley, you must know that... Dean has considered you part of team free will for a while now. He once – I know he has faith in you.” After a pause he adds, “As do I.”

Next thing Dean hears sounds like the notebook being thrown against a wall.

“Crowley?” Cas asks but apparently gets no answer and Dean steals away.

He returns to his room and a piece of paper with the word EAVESDROPER and a caricature of him being painted on it. He chuckles. “Come on.”

He still keeps the drawing.

After another few days during which he pointedly asks Crowley for the most mundane stuff when Sam is around to show he’s not a goddamn monster, his brother appears to be relenting; but he only truly learns what it means to have a ghost on their side during another hunt, when a werewolf who just threw off Cas is about to rip Sam’s throat.

Because he suddenly throws his head back and yowls in pain, giving Sam time to scramble away and Dean to shoot him.

On the way home, Sam’s silent for a long time. Then, he says, “Thanks, Crowley.”

The lights go on and off three times.

“I agree” Dean says, and the world rights itself.

Over the next few months, Sam and Cas start to address Crowley randomly too.

“I don’t recognize that word” the angel explains one day when they’re working on a script in Ancient Greek, “but then, as you would say, it has been a while. Crowley, could you – “

He’s already scribbling down the translation.

On another occasion, Dean finds Sam in the library. “You looking for something?”

“I know there was this one book about Egypt spells, but – “

It falls down in front of Sam. “Thank you, Crowley.” He blinks. “Good God, I just realized I’ve gotten used to this.”

“Join the club” is all Dean replies.

And this seems to be the way things are, until they stumble across an old witch. She hasn’t done anything wrong, but Cas feels her powers on their trip through town, so they decide to check it out.

They didn’t realize how old she is.

Some of the pictures on her wall are drawings from Egypt, around three thousand years ago.

And because she’s so old, she has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Esmeralda (“Call me Esme”) has been nothing but friendly and even made them tea. Dean has put his notebook on the table out of pure habit by this point, but Crowley’s been remarkably silent.

Completely silent.

In fact...

“Oh don’t worry” Esme says, “I performed the spell while I was in the kitchen, he’s resting by now.”

And suddenly Dean knows exactly how Crowley felt that night because – because –

“Did you – you haven’t – “

God damnit, he’s a hunter, he’s not going to have a panic attack in some witch’s living room –

“Oh no – no dearie, of course not. I would never send him to Hell. He seems like such a sweetheart, and he’s so attached to all of you. I don’t think he realized what I was going to do, but honestly I didn’t even try to get in contact with him, because his wishes were rather clear.”

“His wishes? What – “

“Dean – “ Cas says, resting a hand on his arm. “Please, let her speak.”

“So he’s alright?” Sam asks at the same time.

“Oh yes. In fact, I think he’ll be a little bit more in a while... There are some perks to being the only witch who knew the ways of Ancient Egypt and there life after death spells...”

Dean has no idea what she even means, but he decides to wait. He can always put a bullet through her later.

It turns out to be the farthest from his mind when Crowley comes stumbling in from the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

“Witches – all the same” he grumbles to himself. “Have to tell the boys that – “

“Crowley!?” Dean gets up an d walks over to him. “You made him visible?”

Esme actually looks scandalized. “What do you take me for? I’m not _just_ a witch.”

Dean doesn’t understand until he’s close enough to realize –

Crowley is _breathing_.

He grabs his wrist.

“Squirrel, what? I’ve been trying for months to – “

“He has a pulse” Dean announces. “Crowley, you’re _alive_.”

“Human, of course, like his soul has been since he died” Esme says. “But I trust it’s enough.”

“Dean?” Sam asks, “Is that really him?”

“You bet” Dean replies while Crowley is busy figuring out how he came back to life and that now that he’s human, thanks are probably in order.

Sam nods. “Cas?”

“It’s as Esme says” he announces.

Thank God. Thank Esme. Whatever.

“We’ll have to clean out a room for you” he muses when they’re back in the Impala.

Like they did for Cas, months ago.

Crowley, who has until now been pretty silent, replies, “Oh how I’ll miss watching you sleep.”

“Dean doesn’t like that” Cas informs him.

“You really think I wasn’t aware?”

Dean catches Crowley’s eyes in the rear view mirror. Yep, still Crowley. Still a sarcastic bastard, still annoying, but human.

He finds he can live with that very well.


End file.
